Your Lateral Hiring Committee has successfully attracted desirable experienced lawyers to the firm. Management and the partners have voted them in. Whether the focus is on an individual or a group, how do you assure that the laterals and the practices will be integrated effectively into the firm? This checklist lays out the important steps.
TRANSITION
- The Management Committee puts someone in charge.
— If the addition is an individual or two, the appropriate person in charge is probably the practice group or department head.
— If a new group is added, Management should designate a partner to head the integration effort. It may be coordinated by the Marketing Director.
- When a group is added, an integration plan should be developed and circulated to the management Committee, the department/practice group heads and the Business Development Committee. Appropriate assistance from partners and the marketing professional can be determined from there.
- If one or two partners are added, a business plan should be developed by the laterals and partners with related practices.
- The integration point person is responsible for making sure the new additions become familiar with the attorneys and staff and vice versa.
INTERNAL INTEGRATION AND MARKETING
- Communicate the news of the additions as soon as feasible to all legal personnel and staff. Explain the benefits to the firm and its clients.
- Make integration a high priority.
- Build in-person familiarity through encouragement of face-to-face contact and informal one-on-one meetings.
- When a group is brought in, consider assigning "buddies" so that each attorney and staff member has someone to go to with questions and help with introductions.
- Schedule presentations for all legal personnel to learn capabilities and accomplishments. Formal presentations (cross-selling briefings) should be supplemented with smaller, informal group meetings or lunches both for familiarity and to lay out action plans.
- Use all internal communication vehicles, such as internal newsletters and e-mail, to help the new people become known as professionals and as people.
- Plan social opportunities: welcoming cocktail reception, lunches, breakfasts, sports activities, etc.
- et business goals to define expectations and to use as a gauge of success.
- Rethink strategies to foster responsiveness and cooperation for joint marketing and cross-selling.
- Focus on integration for at least six months.
- Pay sufficient attention to cultural fit.
- Have an “exit strategy” if the relationship doesn't work.
EXTERNAL MARKETING
- Coordinate all marketing through the Business Development Committee.
- Inform clients quickly and as personally as possible.
- Send personal letters to clients, prospects and referral sources.
- Run professional announcement ads in appropriate legal, business and trade press.
- Send out news releases to the media announcing the additions and including a “positioning statement” of the significance.
- Plan and conduct joint seminars for clients and others to demonstrate the integration of practices.
- Update print marketing materials.
- Put an announcement of the additions on the firm web site and add information where appropriate.
© Phyllis Weiss Haserot 1995.